Now and Then: Surveying 42 Ann Street in FiDi

Apr 9, 2014

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Downtown Manhattan’s 42 Ann Street, recently transformed into seven full-floor condominiums, is a classical beauty on one of the city’s oldest streets.

The block-through Renaissance Revival building was first constructed in 1892 for Keuffel & Esser Co., a drafting and architectural instruments company. The architects were Theodore W.E. De Lemos and August W. Cordes, renowned for their design of the Macy’s department store at Herald Square.

The facade at 127 Fulton Street is an elaborate three-part exercise in cast-iron and terra cotta, with exuberant detailing and sculptural reliefs of drafting tools:

For old times’ sake, here’s an illustration of the facade from a Keuffel & Esser Co. catalogue, compared to the structure today:

The building’s distinctive windows, different on every floor, are the centerpiece of the residences’ 26-foot-wide living rooms. Except for the duplex penthouse, every condominium measures 2,708 square feet, melding modern comfort and industrial style. Interiors include barrel vault ceilings up to 13.5′, open kitchen with Viking and Liebherr appliances, granite bathrooms with Kohler fixtures, radiant heated quarter sawn oak flooring and vented washer/dryer in the laundry room.

The units are coming to market soon, so keep checking the official site for more information.